The Vicksburg Post prints obituaries in news form for area residents, their family members and for former residents at no charge. Families wishing to publish additional information or to use specific wording have the option of a paid obituary.

Fay D. Bates

Fay D. Bates died Wednesday, May, 23, 2007, at River Region Medical Center. She was 92.

Mrs. Bates was born in Bienville, La., to Lillian and Albert F. Denson. She and her husband of 68 years, George E. Bates, owned and operated Bates Army Surplus in Morton for 34 years before moving to Vicksburg in 1997.

In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Bates was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Betsy Fay Stewart of Fairborn, Ohio; and her sister, Virginia Everett of Canton.

She is survived by two daughters, Patricia Stewart and her husband, John, of Rainier, Wash.; and Mary Ellen Flowers of Vicksburg; one son Albert Dell Bates and his wife, Nan, of Rockingham, N.C.; six grandchildren, Linda Nichols of Charleston, S.C., John Stewart Jr. of Phoenix, Ariz., Donna Allen and Carl Flowers, both of Vicksburg; Todd Bates of Kodak, Tenn., and Greg Bates of Rockingham; eight great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Glenwood Funeral Home with burial at 4 p.m. at Canton City Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon until the time of the service at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be Jimmy Flowers, Carl Flowers, John Stewart, John Stewart Jr., Greg Bates and Todd Bates.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg.

James Francis Canizaro

James Francis Canizaro, 84, passed away Tuesday, May 22, 2007.

James was a lifelong resident of Vicksburg. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Lena Canizaro; and a sister, Mattie Canizaro.

He is survived by sisters, Concetta DeRossette and Angela Canizaro; and numerous nieces and nephews.

James graduated from St. Aloysius High School in 1939 and, for the next 50 years, served with distinction in both the medical arts and fine arts.

He was director of laboratory and radiology at the Vicksburg Infirmary until it closed its doors in the 1960s. He served in that same capacity at Martin-Feurst Clinic, concluding his medical career upon retirement after several years at Madison Parish Hospital.

An accomplished tenor, James lent his voice to the choir of St. Paul Catholic Church. He was cantor at Anshe Chesed Synagogue and musical director at St. Michael Catholic Church. James also sang in many radio and stage productions in the Vicksburg area, including &#8220Gold in the Hills.”

Over his lifetime, James contributed to the growth and success of the Vicksburg Little Theatre Guild. Having served as resident director, president and longtime board member of the organization, he was also past president of the Mississippi Theater Association and a member of the State Executive Board.

James directed many outstanding productions over the years, including &#8220The Heiress,” &#8220Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” &#8220A Lion in Winter,” &#8220Guys and Dolls,” &#8220The Fantastics,” &#8220South Pacific, &#8220The King and I,” &#8220A Man for All Seasons,” &#8220The Little Foxes” and &#8220Camelot.”

He earned two first-place trophies for the Vicksburg group at the Mississippi Theater one-act festivals with &#8220A Phoenix Too Frequent” and &#8220The Lady of Larkspur Lotion.”

James won more acclaim for the Vicksburg Theatre Guild with his production of Becket’s &#8220Play” at the Mississippi Arts Festival.

His direction of &#8220An Evening with William Shakespeare” in 1969 for the Vicksburg Arts Festival and its subsequent tour represented a first, not only for Vicksburg, but an ambitious effort completely unique to Mississippi theater at the time.

James shared his directing skills with various theater productions across Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama through stage productions and consulting for such groups as the Natchez Little Theatre and the Twin-Cities Theatre Guild.

One defining moment in his career occurred in the aftermath of the Vicksburg tornado of 1953. After weeks of exhaustively tending to the critical care needs of those seriously injured by the storm, James appeared in the children’s ward of the Vicksburg Infirmary dressed as St. Nicholas, thrilling the recovering youths with gifts, songs and stories.

James will be missed by friends and family who remember how this wonderful man spent his energies in service to God and community.

A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on his behalf at St. Paul Catholic Church in Vicksburg at 11 a.m. Friday with Father Patrick Farrell officiating. Visitation will be at the church at 10 a.m. Graveside services will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Frank J. Fisher Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.

Pallbearers will be nephews Patrick DeRossette, James DeRossette, Tim DeRossette, Brian DeRossette, Matthew DeRossette, Ashley Hopkins, Javier DeRossette, Lucas Hopkins, Chris DeRossette, Brett DeRossette and Lee DeRossette.

Ward R. Lewis

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Ward R. Lewis, formerly of Vicksburg, died Saturday, May 19, 2007, in Minneapolis, Minn. He was 34.

Mr. Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, Lucille Thompson Lewis and Walter Lewis.

Survivors include two brothers, Donnell Thompson of Edwards and Kenneth Thompson of Vicksburg; a stepbrother, Larry Stewart of Clinton; a stepsister, Monique Jefferson of Vicksburg; and nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives, including Lessie Thompson, Bessie Thompson, Betty Jean Thompson and members of the Galloway and Thompson families of Edwards and Vicksburg.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Mark M.B. Church of Edwards. Burial will follow at Greenhill Cemetery in Edwards.

Visitation will be from noon until 6 p.m. Friday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home of Vicksburg.